...COINS WITH LYRES...(MUSICAL INSTRUMENTS:p)

...Show your coins with lyres Peeps...here's mine...a small bronze with the instrument and bust of Apollo minted in the name of Antiochus ll Theos from the Sardes mint 261-246 BC... another a Roman Provincial of Hostilian featuring Apollo leaning on a lyre placed upon a pedestal from the Anazarbus mint 250-251 AD, purchased from one of our good members and a 1940 1/2 penny of Ireland featuring a lyre reverse and sow with piglets obverse...

Let's see'em!

 

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Apollo often carries a lyre as an attribute:

Septimius Severus, Roman Empire, denarius, 194–195 AD, Rome mint. Obv: [L SEPT SEV PERT] AVG IMP IIII, laureate head of Septimius Severus r. Rev: APOLL[INI AVGV]STO, Apollo standing l., holding patera and lyre. 16mm, 1.78g. Ref: RIC IV.1 Septimius Severus 40.

 

Here’s Hadrian with a lyre on the reverse:

 

PHOKIS, FEDERAL COINAGE
AR Triobol
OBVERSE: Bull’s head facing
REVERSE: Laureate head of Apollo right, Φ-Ω before, lyre behind
Struck at Phokis 357-346 BC
2.50g, 14mm
SNG Cop 121

L JULIUS CAESAR ROMAN REPUBLIC; GENS JULIA
AR Denarius
OBVERSE: CAESAR Head of Mars left in crested helmet
REVERSE: Venus Genettris with scepter, in biga drawn by two Cupids left, lyre in field, contolmark above, L IVLI L F in ex.
Struck at Rome, 103BC
3.85g, 17mm
Cr320/1, Syd 593a.

L SCRIBONIUS LIBO ROMAN REPUBLIC; GENS SCRIBONIA
AR Denarius
OBVERSE: BON EVENT LIBO, diademed head of Bonus Eventus right
REVERSE: PVTEAL above, SCRIBON below, well-head ornamented with garland and two lyres, hammer at base
Rome 62 BC
3.2g, 18mm
Cr416/1a., Scribonia 8a

VALERIAN I
AE (Billon) Antoninianus
OBVERSE: IMP VALERIANVS AVG, radiate, draped and cuirassed bust right
REVERSE: CONSERVAT AVGG, Apollo standing left, raising laurel branch in right, resting left on lyre set on rock, Q (=4th officina) right
Struck at Rome, 253 AD
1.8g, 19mm
RIC 84

MAXIMINUS II DAIA
Quarter-Nummus
OBVERSE: GENIO ANTIOCHENI, Tyche of Antioch seated facing on rocks, turreted and veiled, stalks of grain in right, river-god Orontes swimming below
REVERSE: APOLLONI SANCTO, Apollo standing left, patera in right, lyre in left. A in right field, mintmark SMA
Struck at Antioch, 312 AD
1.2g, 13mm
Van Heesch 3, A

 

Some lyre coins:


Gordian III, AD 238-244.
Roman AE Sestertius, 20.01 gm, 28.2 mm, 11 h.
Rome, 5th officina. 9th emission, AD 241.
Obv: IMP GORDIANVS PIVS FEL AVG, laureate, draped and cuirassed bust, right.
Rev: PM TRP IIII COS II PP SC, Apollo seated left, holding laurel branch and resting left arm on lyre.
Refs: RIC 302; Cohen 252; Sear --; Banti 72.


Gordian III and Tranquillina.
Roman provincial AE 25.8 mm, 11.44 g.
Thrace, Mesembria, AD 241.
Obv: ΑVΤ Κ Μ ΓΟΡΔΙΑΝΟC ΑVΓ CΕΒ-ΤΡΑΝΚVΛΛΙΝ[Α], laureate, draped and cuirassed bust of Gordian and draped bust of Tranquillina, wearing stephane, confronted.
Rev: ΜΕCΑΜΒΡΙΑΝΩΝ, Apollo in long robe, standing left, holding plectrum in outstretched right hand and resting left on lyre set on column.
Refs: Moushmov 3998; Varbanov 4175-4176.


Trebonianus Gallus, AD 251-253.
Roman AR antoninianus, 3.60 g, 19.2 mm, 6h.
Rome, 6th officina, 4th emission, early AD 253.
Obv: IMP CAE C VIB TREB GALLVS AVG, radiate, draped and cuirassed bust, right.
Rev: APOLL SALVTARI, Apollo standing left, holding branch with right hand and resting left hand on lyre set on rock.
Refs: RIC 32; Cohen/RSC 20; RCV 9627; Hunter 21.

 

Domitian and a lyre.


Domitian
AR Drachm, 3.26g
Rome mint (for Lycia), 95 AD
Obv: AYT KAIC ΔOMITIANOC CЄBACTOC ΓЄPM; Head of Domitian, laureate, bearded, r.
Rev: ЄTOYC IΔ YPATOY IZ; Lyre, to r., branch
RPC 1502 (5 spec.).
Ex Den of Antiquity, eBay, May 2016.

And of course we know what more than one lyre is called.




Domitian
AR Drachm, 3.22g
Rome mint (for Lycia), 95 AD
Obv: AYT KAIC ΔOMITIANOC CЄBACTOC ΓЄPM; Head of Domitian, laureate, bearded, r.
Rev: ЄTOYC IΔ YPATOY IZ; Two lyres with owl perched on top
RPC 1503 (2 spec.).
Ex Lanz, eBay, October 2017.

 

A Roman Provincial civic issue of Antioch:



AE Civic issue Antioch, Seleucis, mid-second century AD. Obv. Laureated and draped bust of Apollo t.r. Rev. Lyre. Lettering: above the lyre: Ɛ (= 5), to the right: ETO = 'of the year'). To the left: date. Compare RPC IV, 7199. Maybe the same date, ƐϞΡ (= 195). In that case: Antoninus Pius, about 140. 14 mm, 2.15 gr.

As for the letter / numerical sign Koppa, see the Wikimedia picture collection for some forms.

 

I have one like @Roman Collector's - but an antoninianus.

 

Cool idea, @ominus1 (yeah, I still gotta get that Honey sent)

LYRE


RImp P Clodius Mf Turrinus AR denarius 20mm 3.6g Rome 42 BCE Laureate hd Apollo R lyre - Diana Lucifera torches Cr 494-23 CRI 184 Syd 1117



RImp Octavian 32-31 BCE AR Den Rome mint Bare CAESAR DIVI F Mercury lyre RIC 257 Sear 1550



RI Commodus 177-192 CE AR Denarius 17.7mm 2.42g Apollo Plectrum Lyre RIC 218 RSC 25 BMCRE 292 Rare Type



RI Trebonianus Gallus 251-253 CE Ant 20mm 3.0g Apollo Lyre RIC 32 RSC 20

 

CARNYX (Wind Instrument of the Celts)


RR Egnatuleius AR Quinarius 97 BC Apollo Victory Trophy Carnyx S 213 Cr 333-1



RR Fundanius AR Quinarius 101 BCe Marius triumph Jupiter E control Victory captive carnyx Q Sear 205 Craw 326-2




RR M Furius LF Philus AR Denarius 119 BCE Janus Trophy Carnyx Cr 281-1 Sear 156



RImp Albinus Bruti AR Den 48 BC Mars Carnyces Cr 450-1a

COOL! Museum of Scotland has a PIG's HEAD Carnyx... Now THAT would had been a cool WAR CRY from the Trumpet!

 

AE Chalkous

Kolophon, Ionia, 385-285 BC

AE11 mm. 1.54 g

O:Head of Apollo right, wearing taenia /

R: K-O-Λ-(O-Φ-Ω), Lyre or Kithara within linear square, Astragalos to left and right. Milne 78B. SNG Tübingen 2899.

 

HARP


IRELAND Henry VIII 1509-1547 AR Groat 25mm 2.5g hЄnRIC VIII DI GR RЄX - RΛnCIЄ ЄT hIBЄRnIЄ harp H & R London SCBI 22 Copenhagen

(Yeah, and I have a bunch of those modern Eire 1/2 Pennies too)

 

Lycia, Termessos Minor
Coin: Bronze
- Apollo laureate head within dots and countermark of winged insect
TERMHS-SEWN - kithara
Mint: Oinoanda (1st C AD)
Wt./Size/Axis: 4.44g / 19mm / -
Rarity: Rare
References:

• BMC 276, 7 (Pisidia)
• SNG von Aulock 4458

 

Absolutley no idea.

 

Hmm, after a very quick search I can't find it either (searching all Lycian coins on asiaminorcoins). I assumed because of the lyre in incuse punch reverse, with visible Λ I, that it is Lycian. Maybe it's from somewhere else. What's the size and weight so I can keep it in mind as I troll through various sites?

Check out @chrsmat71's old lyre thread with punny title): Come on baby like my lyres


TROAS, Alexandria. Trebonianus Gallus
CE 251-253
AE 21 mm, 4.76 gm
Obv: IMP VIB TREB GALVS AV; laureate, draped and cuirassed bust right
Rev: COL AV / TROA; Apollo, head right and holding kithara, seated facing on griffin springing right, head left
Ref: RPC IX 407; Bellinger A403


THRACE, Sestos (sometimes spelled Sestus)
c. 3rd-2nd century BCE
AE 16.6, 2.35 gm
Obv: Head of Hermes left, wearing petasos; dotted border
Rev: chelys; ΣH downward in right field; dotted border
Ref: von Fritz, Nomisma 1, 15 (coin 29 on plate 1 in that book)
ex Stevex6 Collection


Roman Republic
moneyer L. Julius L. f. Caesar, 103 BC
AR denarius, 17mm, 3.9 gm
Obv: Helmeted head of Mars left; CAESAR; ・C (retrograde)
Rev: Venus Genetrix in chariot left, drawn by two Cupids; lyre to left; ・C (retrograde) above
Ref: Crawford 320/1
ex RBW Collection


IONIA, Teos
AR diobol (reduced standard), 10 mm, 0.98 gm
Obv: seated griffin right, paw raised
Rev: lyre, THI, magistrate’s name

Don't remember if I still have the next coin. I may have sold it or given it away.

LESBOS, Mytilene
400-350 BCE
AE14, 1.7 gm
Obv: head of Aphrodite (?) right, wearing stephane
Rev: M-Y, T-I; lyre; tripod (?, looks like an arrow) in left field, monogram in right field
Ref: SG 4272?; may also be MacDonald Mytilene #4.

 

Well, what would a discussion about lyres be without the showman Nero singing to a crowd:



Nero (Augustus)
Coin: Bronze AS
NERO CLAVDIVS CAESAR AVG GERMANIC - Radiate head of Nero right
PONTIF MAX TR POT IMP P P - Nero, as Apollo Citharoedus, advancing right in billowing robes, playing lyre; mark of value I in ex.
Exergue:



Mint: Rome (64 AD)
Wt./Size/Axis: 6.87g / 23.01mm / 5 h
Rarity: Scarce
References:
RIC 211
BMCRE 256.
WCN 272
Sear 1978
Provenances:
The D. Thomas Collection
Agora Auctions
Acquisition/Sale: Agora Auctions Internet Numismatic Sale #77 #087 $0.00 10/18
Notes: Aug 10, 19 - The Gary R. Wilson Collection

 

Teos diobol
Gryphon / Chelys
(10.69 mm long axis; 0.89 grams)
320-294 BCE
"Interesting mis-strike: this piece has been struck twice, the flan having been turned over for the second striking leaving elements of the original reverse (THI and A[lambda]Y) on the obverse." -- David R. Sear.

 

Well, this topic was opened up to all musical instruments... But as focused as we all are on the tiniest details, we should straighten out our references to the

• HARP
• LYRE
• KITHARA
• CHELYS

It depends on (1) the sounding body or sounding board and therefore the (2) range and often (3) the number of strings as well as (4) who played it. The Lyre has no sounding board or sounding body. The chelys and kithara have sounding bodies. According to mythology, Hermes invented the chelys, hollowing out the shell of a tortoise he saw entering a room (ouch! hey!). The kithara was built by Apollo (who would slaughter an army but not a harmless tortoise). Kitharons were professional musicians while the chelys remained a folk instrument.

(Now everyone can go fix those erroneous attributions on those 2x2s.)

 

I don’t know of any coin, ancient or modern, that has an “honest” man on it... ohhhhh, a lyre!
Fun thread idea mono@ominus1!
Here’s some more music for your eyes:

ACHAIA, Pellene
Circa 300-250 BCE Æ
13mm Kithara / Tripod.
BCD Peloponnesos 601;
SNG Copenhagen -223. VF